Shovels hit the dirt Wednesday at 6401 Shiloh Drive in west Oklahoma City, marking the start of West Haven Flats, a 132-unit affordable and workforce housing complex aimed at households earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income. The $57 million project, developed and managed by Elmington, is targeted for completion near the end of 2028.
The groundbreaking brought together the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, Elmington Affordable and local leaders, according to News 9. Sydney Triplett said, “We are proud to break ground on West Haven Flats, an affordable housing community that will soon be called home for many families and individuals in Oklahoma City.” Rent at the complex will be restricted based on a leaseholder's income and will only increase if that income increases, according to OCHA.
Mark Gillett described the project as providing “high-quality homes for residents,” adding, “Every new affordable housing unit we add in Oklahoma City creates opportunities for our neighbors to succeed.” Apartments will include granite countertops and in-unit washers and dryers, along with a fitness center, on-site management and maintenance, and resident programming. Some units will be designed for residents with mobility impairments, and accommodations will be available for people with audio-visual needs.
Rent Expected Near $950, With Cheaper Units for Some Families
The base rent for the new complex is expected to be about $950, per KOCO. About one-third of the units will carry additional assistance that lowers rents further for qualifying families, the station reports. Financing for the project closed in July, with construction originally slated to begin in August, according to the Journal Record.
That outlet also reported that West Haven Flats is planned to add 55 project-based vouchers alongside its 132 units. Funding for the development draws from a long list of partners: the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, the Community Enhancement Corporation, MAPS 4, Red Stone Equity Partners, Bank of America, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, and the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, per News 9.
A City Grappling With a Housing Shortfall
City housing officials estimate Oklahoma City faces a shortfall of roughly 45,000 affordable housing units, the Journal Record notes. The MAPS 4 Homelessness Program is putting $55.7 million in taxpayer funds toward affordable housing projects citywide, with officials hoping that investment leverages more than $400 million in additional housing funds over the next decade, according to the same report. The West Haven Flats site was described as an opportunity-rich area with access to public transportation, grocery stores, shopping and jobs.
West Haven Flats isn't the only affordable project moving through the pipeline. Boulevard Place Apartments, planned for the corner of Oklahoma City Boulevard and E.K. Gaylord in downtown Oklahoma City, is also expected to welcome residents in 2028, according to KOCO. That project is set to include units priced for different socioeconomic levels, along with a pool, outdoor grilling area and fitness center.
For now, the focus in west Oklahoma City is on turning Wednesday's groundbreaking into finished apartments. With construction aimed at wrapping up near the end of 2028, West Haven Flats represents one piece of a much larger effort to close a housing gap that local officials have been tracking for years.
